A Numbers Question- Am I Screwing Myself?

Hey everyone!

So I know we don't count anything per se, except for water intake and protein to make sure we are getting enough of both, and I know to look for 2-3 grams of sugar and no more than 10 grams of fat, because being deathly ill isn't on my list of stuff to do every day.

 

However, I have a number/counting question.

How many carbs are TOO many carbs?  How many calories are TOO many calories?  I mean, I get that like, 3000 calories are too many and we shouldn't be chowing down 300 grams of carbs in bread and grains like freaks (and really, how can you do that anyhow with a stomach the size of an egg) but I am looking for a XX-XX that I should be eyeballing to stay within a healthy and productive weight loss range. Some days my carb counts are really high but I am eating things that are healthy, like nuts and dairy or apples or oranges.  I know where the carbs are coming from because I use SparkPeople, but I don't want to harm my own success by doing something I shouldn't do.

 

 

Barix never gave me ranges for carbs or calories. For the first 6 months I Was about 500-600 calories. Even at 2 years out some days I would push for 1000. Carbs should be kept low. For the first 6 months they should be REALLY low - focus on protein and fluids first, then veggies, carbs and fruits last.

Hope that helps some! You can always call your nutritionist and ask for a specific range.

Liz

Hi Kari - I am asking those same questions tomorrow at my 9 month check up - I too am now using Sparkpeople and and noticing that I am not getting close to what they say should be my calorie intake - sparkpeople that is, not Barix - I know that I probably should have been doing this all along, but I am a slow learner....  So now that I am using sparkpeople, I have a million questions just like you do - I will give let you know what the nutritionists have told me.  I am a math teacher and I NEED numbers - it is how I live my life and will helpme out greatly - however, the numbers on the scale and on the tags of my clothes are also a *****allenging.  i have set goals for myself regarding the size I want to be and the weight I want to weigh, and that too is weighing heavily on my brain.  Thank you sooo much for posting this. 

Steffi,

The numbers on Sparkpeople are for dieters, which we are not. . .  however, the NUT will give you some info on what you need to know. . .

Steffi,

The numbers that Sparkpeople suggests for you is based on your BMI, no WLS and an assumption that you're doing their nutrition plan - all of which (except your BMI) is a false assumption.  What I like about sparkpeople is that YOU can adjust your target numbers very easily to reflect what your plan really is.   Just click "Change Nutrition Goals" on your nutrition tracking page and set each nutrient's goal to what you want it to be.  From that point on, all the tracking will be geared to your own goals.  Very nice!

Kari,

I finally pinned down a nut on the carbs a little bit - they are VERY resistant to setting carb goals.  Based on that, conversations with Shauna and some others, I've set my carbs equal to my protein range for the day.  That may be a bit high for some people but it seems ok for me, as long as most of my carbs are coming from my veggies and fruits and a little whole grain and not from "bad" things like artificial sweeteners and refined flour.  When my carbs get more "refined", that's when I get into trouble.

My numbers currently are set to:
Protein 78 - 105
Carbs 78 - 100
Calories 1000 - 1400
Fat 24-48

Steffi - as to the goals in terms of the tags on clothing, one of my ongoing frustrations is that every manufacturer is a bit different.  So what's a medium for one is a large for another one - what's a 10 for one is an 8 for another and a 12 for another.  So be careful about setting that goal and letting it play with your brain too much.  Likewise the scale - the number means a lot more when you know how much is fat/muscle/bone and so on...  

I hope that helps a bit!

Karen

All carbs are not created equal, the carbs found in high fiber, good for you, veggies and fruits are not the ones you should be worrying about, however, as was said, protein comes first, then add in the veggies and fruit as a snack, but realize there are some that will bump those numbers in the carb department up, so long as they are not being taken in in the form of white flour and sugar, you should be ok, but call the NUT and ask for their guidance.  They will probably want you to give them a listing of what you are eating, so if you are not keeping record of it, then do so.

Excellent thread!

I have used sparkpeople to get a baseline of my calorie and carb intake. I know now that my typical calorie range for a day is in the 800-1000 range. Carbs vary - and my carbs are pretty much all from fruit and vegetable sources, since I don't eat refined carbs. I find the fat count very helpful, too.

What this does for me is allows me to spot trends - if I have a day where my calories take a jump, for example, due to having both almonds AND peanut butter as snacks that day.

I have taken both daily printouts and the weekly summaries to the NUT at Barix, and it works pretty well.

I spoke to the nutritionist and after pushing the issue the answer was .........

Based on your body type and excercise level it is different for everyone.  After a brief Q & A session I was told my carb level should stay in line with my fat level.  It is also not good to go too high on protein.  If your calories are under 1,000 a day, it is okay to exceed your protein goal by no more than 20 grams.  If your daily fat limit is 42, then your carbs should not exceed that for continued weight loss.  These are the rules if your still trying to get past a stall or plateau.  Take into consideration that these rules applied to my cir****tances, yours may be different. 

Have a heart to heart talk with your nutritionist.